TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The health authorities on Thursday (Dec. 15) sought to assuage fears that China’s hot demand for flu medicines may cause a drug shortage in Taiwan.
China’s abrupt easing of COVID rules last week following public protests has unleashed a run on medications used to treat fever and other cold symptoms. With China supplying 50% of Taiwan’s active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), this has sparked concerns of an imminent shortfall should Beijing halt exports.
Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) chief Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Thursday that Taiwan has a stockpile of 54 million acetaminophen and 910,000 ibuprofen tablets. This translates to a supply of 2.7 months for the former and 1 month for the latter, not counting the reserve of the API that can be used to manufacture the drugs.
Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is a medication used to alleviate pain and fever, sold under brand names such as Panadol. Ibuprofen has similar effects.
An official of the Ministry of Health and Welfare said supplies of the relevant drugs are being closely monitored and domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers have been asked to source API from other countries, including India, France, and Italy.
Taiwan has implemented a report system for medicines expected to run out in six months. The government will intervene with fast-tracked imports and other assistance.
Pharmacies in Taipei have reported a spike in demand for fever medicines, which will be shipped to China. Hoarding of fever medicines amid an acute shortfall in the country is also being felt in Hong Kong, Macau, and Australia, with people snatching up medicines to be sent to China, wrote Reuters.